Camera support platforms for use in the motion picture industry are well-known in the prior art. Such cranes enable the camera operator to move in various directions within a restricted spatial area to facilitate various camera angles and shots. These devices typically include some form of jib arm mounted to a movable dolly. While these prior art cranes have proved generally useful, often they do not enable the camera operator to move the camera in a straight line without also moving the dolly. Moreover, the jib arm is normally supported in such a way as to limit the overall freedom of movement, especially adjacent the dolly. Most importantly, however, such devices require the camera operator to "hold" the weight of the camera in his or her hands. This constraint severely limits the flexibility of the operator and thus prevents the use of the camera for certain types of shots.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a camera support platform that overcomes these and other problems associated with the prior art.